ULTIMATE EXPERIENCE: We were very lucky to see the moon eclipse the next morning between 4 and 6 am. Once we passed the rock formations, the trail turned to be pretty manageable for the rest of the day. They will inform the local emergency services, so they can get you as soon as possible. We didn’t doubt a second and plunged into the water straight away to cool off. Your email address will not be published. Trekking along the edge of the escarpment with its stunning views, we reach our camp and the spectacular 17 Mile Falls. It was getting warmer and warmer during the day and we knew we made a good decision to leave early. The Jatbula Trail is a Medium to Hard Walk. You can choose not to allow some types of cookies. We’ve offset the carbon emitted by this trip by purchasing credits that support important projects that address the UN’s seventeen SDGs, like reducing poverty, affordable and clean energy, reducing hunger, clean water and climate action. The trip commences with a COMPULSORY pre-departure briefing in the afternoon on the day before departure. Ochre, red, and white are coming from clay pigments and the black comes from charcoal. I hope to read more of this information about hikes here. Must be wool or synthetic fiber. This will help a lot in finding you in case you get lost. Self-Drive Tasmania: The Best Trip Planner for an Ultimate Road Trip, Tasmania Travel Guide: The Ultimate Guide for First-Timers, What to do when you see a bushfire (which will in all probability be a controlled reduction fire), How to recognize a camp and where to find the compost toilets (only available on campsites). Wow! Geared up with a fully loaded backpack, proper hiking shoes and a hat on our heads we arrived early morning at the Nitmiluk visitor center in the Katherine Gorge. The terrain is varied throughout the track. The tumbling waters of Biddlecombe Cascades reward walkers with soothing pools to sit in and cool off. Sherpa Expeditions is a specialist in self guided and guided walking and cycling holidays in the United Kingdom and Europe. Jatbula Trail. Lol Looks incredible! We stocked up at the excellent Woolworths in Katherine with some fresh food (fruit, avocado, tomato, cucumber etc) for the first couple of days on the trail. The first 4 km is pretty flat and easy to walk. We came to know about the Jatbula trail when we were in Katherine, NT. So, you share the trail with just a couple of other people, which you might only see at the campgrounds. A bit further up you’ll see a Jawoyn woman, dressed in a breast girdle, bracelets and wrist, and knee bands. Clothing Equipment. Supported projects are based on internationally recognised standards and are third-party audited. It’s a moderately challenging hike with a full pack, doable by any able adult but best enjoyed if you have a good level of fitness, even better if you’ve practiced carrying a full pack. The trail leads from Katherine Gorge and ends by the Edith Falls. Each day will also present to you a new set of challenges, from river crossings to hill climbs, there will be flat open country on the top of the escarpment and boggy wet country along the creeks that we follow. Proceeds from this adventure purchase carbon credits through the world’s largest and most awarded carbon project developer, South Pole, which are invested into projects accelerating the transition to renewable energy sources in developing countries. Our short night (due to watching the moon eclipse) didn’t help either. We always carry the Spot with us. Just before you reach camp there is a viewpoint on the 17 Mile waterfall. With Telstra you might find some signal every now and then, but nothing to count on! You’ve got some beautiful views from the small waterhole near the camp and you might spot some wildlife. You can set up your tent right at the waterfront and cool off in one of the lovely small pools. The chance is quite small to get lost from here or that you will be attacked by a wild animal. Travel, fundraise and meet life-long friends on one of Huma's meaningful and unique challenges around the world. Choose from walking, cycling, winter or multi-activity holidays, on either the North or South Island. Don’t forget to sign in at all the checkpoints along the track. This five day hike is a must do. Follow the signs on the rock formations and climb down to the lagoon. These cookies are set through our site by our advertising partners. The day before we checked out multiple routes, but the easiest way seemed to be straight across to the next blue sign. On each camp, there is an emergency phone, which you are allowed to use for emergencies only. Tent, sleeping and cooking gear, food, and a lot of water. Another thing that could happen is that you get lost. The good thing though, is that each campsite is situated close to a waterhole. It was getting warm already and we preferred to keep on walking to the camp before it got even warmer. Outback, tropical or coastal – which active holiday is for you? We will string a line between trees and hang the mosquito nets, making a comfortable canopy under which you sleep. The last part to camp (after crossing the 17 Mile Creek), can be very boggy! This adventure involves trekking for up to 6 or 7 hours a day at a steady pace in remote locations. A few hours and a couple of brakes later we arrived at the Crystal Falls camping area. That for your average walking speed might slow down a bit. This is a GPS tracker with an emergency button. The reason it is only hiked… It is very important to stay hydrated with these extreme temperatures. Nederlands. We both fossilized, held our breath, and our heart rate went up. You sleep in the tent you carry yourself (or your hiking partner if you can get a him/her that is crazy!). So, take the checkpoints seriously. Absolutely wonderful! Once on top, you’ll go down again and before you know it you’ll reach the sign that you survived the Jatbula trail! Well done! This is the longest day of the trail and it is smart to leave early. The 62km Jatbula Trail is the trip of a lifetime, giving you the opportunity to hike through Nitmiluk National Park (Katherine Gorge) from the famous Nitmiluk Gorge to Leliyn / Edith Falls.. They help us know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. Besides the camping fee, you have to pay for the ferry to cross the river to the starting point of the Jatbula Trail. The terrain is varied, beautiful and wild. As it is one-way trek, you need to arrange your transport to get to the start and from the end of the trail. Take care where you place your feet to make sure they stay dry. When you visit any web site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. We operate the trip from June to August when walking conditions are at their best. Walking distance: 4.5km | Driving time: approx 4hrs. Yes, you should expect to carry about 3kg of the group food along with your snacks for the week. We saw a King Brown snake (which can be deadly) coming out of the bushes right in front of our feet. The shade of the cliffs encourages a rich monsoonal rain forest and the rock shelters exhibit the art of the Jawoyn Traditional Owners. The rock pools above the falls offer great swimming in the spring fed clear streams. A couple of kilometers before reaching the campsite the trail runs into a 4WD maintenance track. How to install an off-grid solar system in your car successfully? By joining this trip you are directly supporting positive impact projects in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This little extra walking is absolutely worth it! TIP: Leave the trail clean by bringing a small plastic bag. When we left, it was still dark and needed our torches for the first part of the trail, which gave our experience an extra dimension! Best Selection - Best Price - Trusted Payments Tent, sleeping and cooking gear, food, and a lot of water. We walked the Jatbula trail at the end of July and had some pretty hot days. The Nitmiluk National Park is home to many wild animal species, like snakes, buffalos, wild pigs, spiders, scorpions, crocodiles, turtles, birds, butterflies and many more. Length: 4.4 kmDuration: 1 – 1.5 walking hours. Spend the afternoon relaxing at Bibblecombe Cascades Read more about the walking track grading system. Learn more about it in our Terms & Conditions, This post is also available in: If you press this button (which you can’t press by accident, as you have to lift the safety cover first), a signal is sent to the International Emergency Response Coordination Center (IERCC). Drive to Katherine Gorge, trek to Biddlecombe Cascades, We pick you up from your Darwin accommodation between 6:00 and 6:30am, before heading south on the Stuart Highway to Katherine. This was definitely my most basic meal with the biggest impact ever. Your email address will not be published. However, you should know that blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience on the site and the services we are able to offer. The Jatbula Trail guides look after the trekkers well | Steve Trudgeon. This is a water hole where you can swim, or just watch the beauty of it and see the fishes swimming in the crystal clear water. We will follow the course of the river with its gentle gradients to our evening campsite at Sandy Camp Pool. This adventure involves trekking for up to 6 or 7 hours a day at a steady pace in remote locations.  |, Remote trekking along the Jatbula Trail Specialists in Service Learning projects, choose from more destinations than any other school group provider.  |, One of the many splendid swimming holes on the Jatbula Trail You should walk regularly with a weighted day pack (5–7kg) for several hours for leg strengthening and aerobic fitness. This trek is the tropical equivalent of Tasmania’s Overland Track, a full pack bushwalk that gains access Eventually, he was joined by 3 scorpions who were fighting each other. The information does not usually identify you directly, but it can give you a more personalized web experience. The tropical equivalent of Tasmania's Overland Track, this full pack carrying bushwalk traverses the heart of this amazing part of Australia. We missed a sign and went in the wrong direction. Since 1982 we have been guiding small groups of travellers on Australia's finest walks across our tropical, coastal or red centre landscapes. We arrived at the checkpoint at 9.30 am, when it was already very hot. During sunset, when we were doing the dishes we saw a long-neck turtle in the water between the water plants. The AllTrail app will help you out! If something happens on the trail and you don’t feel well, you can use one of the emergency phones you will find on the trail. Pack weight up in Jatbula is also due to the amount of water you’ve got to carry. COVID safety measuresare in place with extra cleaning and hygiene protocols, Remote adventuresmeans social distancing comes naturally, Small groups onlyGuided group sizes are strictly limited to a maximum of 12-16 people, From Discovery and CruisingTo Advanced Mountaineering Expedition. So far, this was the most beautiful day with a lot of various landscapes, like rocks, sand, and jungle. They work by uniquely identifying your browser and device. Well after the other two couples that were on the trail had packed up and departed. There are no garbage bins, no bbq’s, no toilets on the rest of the trail, no huts, no showers, no food shops and nothing else you can think about. The biggest challenge of the Jatbula trail is that it is a full-pack hike, which means you have to carry your own everything. You must be capable of walking over rough ground while carring a full pack (approx 15-17kg). The Jatbula trail bookings commence November 1st for the next season which is from the 1st of June until the 30th of September. All the best from Brisbane. The most we ever carried was 3-4 litres on the longest day of 17kms, when the track leaves one creek system and you walk over the plateau and drop into another. Required fields are marked *. The Jatbula Trail is a medium to hard walk for reasonably fit and active people with some bushwalking experience – (Capable of walking over rough ground with up to 15kg backpack). A river crossing, climbing over rock formations and a beautiful view on the Crystal falls (the camp where we slept the night before). I did this hike last year and wow your information is gold! After lunch, we cross the Katherine River and begin our trek into the stone country. NOTE: Optus doesn’t have phone reception at all on the Jatbula Trail. We watched him for a little while as this is a beautiful creature. Suitable For: Fit and active people with some bushwalking experience – (Capable of walking over rough ground with upto 15kg backpack) “The Jatbula Trail was wonderful – scenery was stunning, every day we camped by fabulous waterfalls and waterholes which seemed to be more beautiful than the last! The heat made the second part harder, especially as you mainly walk-in open areas without any shades. This way we found our way back to the trail (we were a couple of 100 meters outlying from the track)! Jatbula Trail: Wow what a journey - See 64 traveler reviews, 96 candid photos, and great deals for Katherine, Australia, at Tripadvisor. Soon after these wetlands, you’ll climb the rock formations which are the top of the sweet water pool. After the waterhole, the trail continued through some wetlands. Detailed route notes provide a definite guide to places in Europe for active walkers and cyclists. When is the best time to walk the Jatbula Trail? Jatbula Trail (JAT) $ 2,150.00. Once you’ve booked, we will supply you with a Pre-Departure document which contains a detailed gear list and other important information to help you prepare for your adventure ahead. By walking the Jatbula trail you are absolutely going down under in the outback of Australia. Jatbula Trail: Jatbula trail - See 63 traveller reviews, 96 candid photos, and great deals for Katherine, Australia, at Tripadvisor. Camping under the stars on very basic, but scenic campgrounds. The winter days in the Northern Territory can become really hot and temperatures of 40°C aren’t exceptional. There are natural water sources all along the Jatbula Trail and each of the campsites is located near permanent fresh water. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. We also saw poo from wild pigs, but luckily didn’t see the creatures itself. It has some beautiful surroundings! The Jatbula Trail is named after Jawoyn (Aboriginal tribe) traditional owner Peter Jatbula.  |. Jatbula Trail: Jatbula Trail - See 64 traveller reviews, 96 candid photos, and great deals for Katherine, Australia, at Tripadvisor. UTracks are the active European holiday specialists. With crystal-clear creeks throughout, there are abundant opportunities for swimming and just relaxing in the warm croc-free waters. We brought a sleeping bag but mainly just used our liners. We are now deep in the wilderness of the Arnhemland Escarpment and Stone Country which extends almost 1000 kilometres through the heart of the Top End. She writes with passion about the destinations where she has been. A leisurely breakfast and an unpractised packing away of our gear saw us leave between nine and ten am. She is ready to dance all night for the man she wants. Just after this water hole, there is a not too steep climb. Walk 40kms on the OzHarvest Kakadu challenge supporting people in need across our country. I will never forget this place, this meal, this view, and this sunset. We walked right along the edges of some very steep cliffs which gave us some outstanding views over the Nitmiluk national park. Sandy camp is a beachy kind of camp where you can set up your tent right next to the water pool. The biggest challenge of the Jatbula trail is that it is a full-pack hike, which means you have to carry your own everything. The Jatbula Trail So this is a 6 day 5 night hike of 62km in length through part of the Katherine gorge in the Northern Territory. World Youth Adventures is our specialist division dedicated to organising tailor made overseas school group adventures. The nights were lovely though. Once you’ve seen it all, head back to the junction and follow the trail to complete day 3. The guides carry lightweight group tarps that act as shade or shelter in the unlikely event of unseasonal rain. The Jatbula Trail is one of the Top End's best kept walking trails and Traveller's Andrew Bain tells of his experience on the trail. We own and operate the most comprehensive range of adventure holidays available across Tasmania's varied landscapes. You guys are brave! 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